Zelenskyy rejects reducing army size even after NATO invitation
Photo: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Vitalii Nosach/RBC-Ukraine)
Ukraine will not agree to reduce the size of its armed forces, even if it receives an invitation to NATO, RBC-Ukraine reports, citing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a conversation with journalists in Brussels.
Discussing potential security guarantees within the framework of peace negotiations, Zelenskyy stated that the best guarantee for Ukraine would be NATO membership. Therefore, Ukraine continues to work toward receiving an invitation.
Ukraine's President added that he is considering all possible types of guarantees, including sanctions and financial ones.
"But all of this is not enough to say that Putin won't come again," Zelenskyy emphasized.
According to Ukraine's President, this is why Ukraine will not agree to a reduction in its army, even on the path to NATO membership.
"The best thing is a strong army, a large army. The largest army in Europe. We simply have no right to limit the strength of our army, in any case, even on the way to NATO. As long as we are not in NATO, we are at risk," said Zelenskyy.
Putin's demands
Earlier, media resources published an agreement Russia proposed to Ukraine at the beginning of the invasion. Russian dictator Vladimir Putin included reducing the Ukrainian army to 50,000 personnel as one of his demands. This also involved reducing the country's weapons arsenal.
Moscow demanded that Ukraine not produce, buy, or deploy missile weapons with a range exceeding 250 km on its territory.
Some sources suggest that Russia may once again try to pressure Ukraine to reduce its army during potential peace negotiations.
However, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy continues to emphasize that Ukraine must strengthen its position to return to the negotiating table. In his view, an invitation to NATO can bolster Ukraine's position. This is one of the points in the victory plan presented to partners.
